Self-locking grappling unit



y 1952 c. w. KNAPP 2,602,001

SELF-LOCKING GRAPPLING UNIT Filed Feb. 21, 1950 vs mum n\\ INVENTOR. CHARLES W. KNApp 9ffmaz flwnm WWW ATTOQNEYS bet-handled.

Patented July 1, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SELF-LOCKING GRAPPLING UNIT CharlesW. Knapp, Oxford, Kans.

Application February 21, 1950, Serial No. 145,344 I (01. 294-106) v 1 "Claims. -11 This invention relates to load-lifting "equipment, andnmore :particularly to grappling rings or hooks for grappling .piping, rods and other material of "particular cross-Lsectionthat has to be shifted-bodily from one location .to another.

The conventional grappling hooks are constructed to open andcloseover piping and the likein a loose manner that does-notassure as tight 2. hold thereon asis desirable. This is due to the fact that the jaws of the hookare made of a size that will accommodate itself, more or less roughly, to varioussizes, but not to a specific one. This has provenin practice to be a great source of danger both :to the workmen or individuals in the -vicinity and the mateirial or property directly or indirectly concerned, especially where the handledmaterial is of round or circularcross-section. This-inventionhas been developed with the i'deaofavoiding this feature of danger, yet without lessening the ease with which the device can be operated. 'It consists of an enclosing .grappling unit-made in pluraLsymmetricalhalf-sections hinged together enabling them to open up-like jaws, and when closed, forming .a complete .ring within which a sectional .insert is provided to closely int and self-lock on the objector material to-be shifted,

and thereby hold the latter securely. Thegrip of the unit is non-slipping, while its construction is free from complicated-mechanisms.

It is therefore an object of 'thisiinvention to provide a new'and improved-grappling unit that will avoid one or moreof the disadvantagesand limitations previously existing in the art.

:Another object of'the'inventionis to provide a new and improved grappling unit that will be self-locking whenplaced on the object or material tolbe lifted-by it.

Still another 'obJ'ect'of th'e hereindescribed invention' is "to provide a new tand'i'mproved grap- 'pling'unitforpipingfand objects havingroun'ded elements in its '.'lifting and operating requirements for its adequate use.

A further object of the invention 'isto-provide a new and improved grappling ring or hook unit or assembly that can .contain .and cooperatively employ auxiliary-holding .members made to it and fasten to the Additionalobjects will-be more orless realized as the invention is described in detail.

For aloe'tter comprehension of the invention, its :objects, principles and manner of operation, reference is made to the accompanying drawings. The drawingsillustrate a preferred form of the invention, while the details of the con- .struction and'operation shown therein, are outlined in the following'description. The scope of the invention is emphasized in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure '1 is an-elevati'on-of -a grappling ring embodying this invention, the view being taken lookingalong its transverse axis, while it is in .;closed and locked position;

Figure 2 is a sectional transverse elevation .on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view along the line 33 'of' -Figure 2; and

Figure l 4 is a sectional detail .of half-crescent :member in open position.

Figure 5 is atop plan-view, on areducedscale. .of the grappling ring of Figure 1.

Similar-partsaredesignated by the same ref-'- erence numerals in all Rthe figures.

.In Figure 1,-a self -lockinggrappling ring unit isillustr-ated. It comprisesa pair of half-cres- -centmembers l0 and II arrange'd'in'face to face relation, the member in having on one end a bifurcated lug .[2 into which .extends asingle' lug 13 on the complemental end of .the member 11. A means connects the lugs 12 and 13 together for swinging movement about an .axis transverse .of the members L0 and l LsaidmeansembQcIy- .ing a pin H5 which extends through holes 14 formed the forks of the bifurcated lug I 2 .and a hole 15 formed in the lug i3. The forks of thebifurcatedlug 12 are each provided with a closed slot l7 extending transversely therethrough and spaced from the connectingineans or pin [6. The slot of each of the forks of the .bifurcate'dllug [2 extends from .a'pointadj-acent the free end and terminates at a point substantially centrally thereof and includes a base wall 18, apair .of sidewalls 19 extending perpendicular with respectto the "basewall l8, anda top wall llla parallel to the base'wall l8. theportionof the top wall 18a. inwardly iofeach of the. adjacent .side walls l9 being "provided with an .arcuate shapedgroove 20 tapering .from the outer face to the inner face of .the fork. ,The slots 1-! .in Itheforks of the bifurcated -lug 12 are in alignment with each other.

.iparticulararticles -.to .The single lug 13 of the member is also provided with -.a closed slot 2 extending'tran'sversely therethrough and spaced from the connecting means or pin [6. The slot 21 extends from a point adjacent the free end of the lug i3 and terminates at a point substantially centrally thereof and includes a base wall 28, a pair of side walls 29 extending perpendicular with respect to the base wall 28, and a top wall 38, the portion of the top Wall 38 inwardly of each of the side walls 29'being provided with arcuate shaped grooves 25 and 25 extending from one face to the other face of the lug 13. The arouate shaped groove 25 of the closed slot 21 of the lug i3 is in alignment with the arcuate shaped grooves of the closed slots 11 of the forks of the bifurcated lug i2 at the central points thereof.

A pull loop 22 is connected to the bifurcated I lug I2 and single lug 13, The loop 22 has a portion which includes a pair of straight parts 2! and 21a arranged in end to end relation and at an angle with respect to each other and a third straight part 23 extending between the parts 2% and 21a. adjacent to and connected to the facing ends of the latter named parts. The parts 2! and 2m extend through and are receivable in the arcuate shaped grooves 20 of the closed slots ll of the forks of the bifurcated lug 12 at the central point thereof with the third part 23 extending through and receivable within the arcuate shaped groove 25 of the closed slot 2'1 in the to move, and the members can be swung open through a large arc.

The inner, circularly curved lines 32 and 33 of the half-crescent members Ill and ll, respectively, together form a circle with its diameter less than that made by the exterior peripheries of the members, and their common center is further away from the lugs, the lug 13 being single and the lug i2 bifurcated, as shown in the drawings, than the center of the peripheries mentioned. The circles are therefore practically tangent within each other. The surfaces of the inner members forming circles 32 and '33 are faced smooth, and several screw-threaded holes 34 tapped into them for screws 35 that secure the auxiliary crescent inserts 35 and 3'? to the surface of the inner surface 32, 33. These inserts 36 and 31 have their inner and outer peripheries of circular contour that also contact the circles of the crescent members from the inside. The inserts are separable into a symmetrical pair and have their interior circle or surfaces sized to conform with that of the particular round bar, casing, piping, etc., that the unit is intended to grab and lift. Each set of inserts is intended to be fitted for the particular lifting work to be done. It may be readily changed by utilizing the screws 35. The exterior diameter of the inserts used is the same, so as to fit against the inner circular surfaces 32 and 33 of the members Hi and ll, but the inner holding circular surfaces of the inserts can be varied to suit the diameter of sections of the material to be picked up or shifted. This enables the material lifted to be held securely. To make use of the complete unit of members and inserts requires a slackening of the tightness of the link and cable raising it so that the loop 22 may be easily changed about in the slots I! and 2'! to When the loop 22 is so positioned, each half crescent member iii and H will be free suit. When loose, the half-crescent members and their attached half-crescent inserts are swung open like jaws and placed over the next article of load. They are then closed around it by swinging the members and inserts back over it. When the loop 22 is in the outer tower portions of the slot after so closing, the pulling up of the cable and loop will lock the load tightly therein and permit it tobe transferred without danger of its slipping out. The part' 23 of the loop, when at the bottom of the slot 21 permits the half-crescent members to be swung on its axis either individually or together. When in the position indicated in Figure 2, the angular parts 2! and 21a of the loop 22 are positioned in the arcuated shaped grooves 26 of the closed slots ll of the forks of the bifurcated lug i2 so as to butt against the angular wall surfaces of the grooves 28 and prevent its being swung thereon. This is therefore called the locking position, and is reached when the parts 2! and 2m are pulled up high into the grooves 20 of the closed slots H of the forks of the bifurcated lug (2.

It can be noted that the device is simple in construction and of a form that permits facile manufacture. It is adaptable to various sizes of load sections and therefore can be made to hold them securely and eliminate the danger of accidents by reason of slipping. The parts are symmetrical and provide balance and ease of handling. The locking action is automatic and avoids the necessity of special mechanical parts and operations to take care of this phase. -'At the same time, the unlocking is performed just as easily and only when the load is rested on some surface where there is no danger of its falling out. The members are arranged to cooperate with each other in this locking and at the same time align the link properly.

While but one form of the invention is shown in the drawings and described herein, it is not intended to limit this application for patent to this particular construction, as it is appreciated that other forms employingthe same principles could be developed and made that come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A grappling unit comprising a pair of half crescent members arranged in face to face relation, a bifurcated lug on one end of one of said members, a single lug on the complemental end of the other of said members and extending between and into said bifurcated lug, means connecting said lugs together for swinging movement about an axis transverse of said members, each of the forks of the bifurcated lug being provided with a closed slot extending transversely therethrough and spaced from said connecting means, each slot extending from a point adjacent the. free end of each fork and terminating at a pointsubstantially centrally thereof and including a base wall, a pair of side walls extending perpendicular with respect to the base wall, and a top wall parallel to the base wall, the portion of the top wall inwardly of each of the adjacent side walls being provided with an arcuate shaped groove tapering from the outer face to the inner face of the fork, the slots being in alignment with each other, said single lug being provided with a closed slot extending transversely therethrough and spaced from said connecting means, the-closed slot in said single lug extending from a point adjacent the free end and terminating at a point substantially centrally thereof and including a base wall, a pair of side walls extending perpendicular with respect to the base wall, and a top wall parallel to the base wall, the portion of the top wall inwardly of each of the adjacent side walls being provided with an arcuate shaped groove extending from one face to the other face of the single lug, the arcuate shaped groove of the closed slot in the single lug at the central point thereof being in alignment with the arcuate shaped grooves of the closed slots of the forks of the bifurcated lug at the central points thereof, and a closed loop having a portion including a pair of straight parts arranged in end to end relation and at an angle with respect to each other and a third straight part extending between said pair of parts adjacent to and connected to the facing ends of the latter, the pair of parts of said portion extending through and receivably in the arcuate shaped grooves of the closed slots of the forks of the bifurcated lug at the central point thereof with the third part of said portion extending through and receivable in the arcuate shaped groove of the closed slot in the single lug at the central point thereof.

2. A grappling unit comprising a pair of half crescent members arranged in face to face relation, a bifurcated lug on one end of one of said members, a single lug on the complemental end of the other of said members and extending between and into said bifurcated lug, means connecting said lugs together for swinging movement about an axis transverse of said members, each of the forks of the bifurcated lug being provided with a closed slot extending transversely therethrough and spaced from said connecting means, each slot extending from a point adjacent the free end of each fork and terminating at a point substantially centrally thereof and including a base wall, a pair of side walls extending perpendicular with respect to the base wall, and a top wall parallel to the base wall, the portion of the top wall inwardly of each of the adjacent side walls being provided with an arcuate shaped groove tapering from the outer face to the inner face of the fork, the slots being in alignment with each other, said single lug being provided with a closed slot extending transversely therethrough and spaced from said connecting means, the closed slot in said single lug extending from a point adjacent the free end and terminating at a point substantially centrally thereof and including a base Wall, a pair of side walls extending perpendicular with respect to the base wall, and a top wall parallel to the base wall, the portion of the stop wall inwardly of each of the adjacent side walls being provided with an arcuate shaped groove extending from one face to the other face of the single lug, the arcuate shaped groove of the closed slot in the single lug at the central point thereof being in alignment with the arcuate shaped grooves of the closed slots of the forks of the bifurcated lug at the central points thereof, a closed loop having a portion including a pair of straight parts arranged in end to end relation and at an angle with respect to each other and a third straight part extending between said pair of parts adjacent to and connected to. the facing ends of the latter, the pair of parts of said portion extending through and receivable in the arcuate shaped grooves of the closed slots of the forks of the bifurcated lug at the central point thereof with the third part of said portion extending through and receivable in the arcuate shaped groove of the closed slot in the single lug at the central point thereof, and auxiliary half crescent shaped inserts positioned between said members and detachably secured to the latter.

CHARLES W. KNAPP.

REFERENCES CITED The following references areof record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 100,330 Rogers Mar. 1, 1870 182,047 Wyckoff et a1 Sept. 12, 1876 1,658,075 Butt Feb. 7, 1928 2,378,570 Mitchell June 19, 1945 

